What is the biggest challenge firefighters and paramedics face?
Robert Mulaudzi, the City of Johannesburg’s Emergency Management Services spokesperson, said it is not fighting fires, running into burning buildings or saving lives, but being attacked … by both criminals and frustrated residents.
“If they arrive late, they will sometimes be thrown with stones, or their vehicles’ windows broken,” he said.
Mulaudzi said these are not isolated incidents. In the beginning of the year, 10 incidents were reported. “Sometimes personnel are robbed and their medical packs get stolen,” he added.
“This creates fear within the service. We plead with communities to protect us as we protect them.”
The City’s MMC for Public Safety, Michael Sun, defended firefighters, saying the lack of fire engines are to blame for long response times – not lazy firefighters. He said it saddened him that the people who are putting their lives on the line are being met with crime on Joburg’s roads.
Mulaudzi said, “The EMS personnel understand how people act when in disastrous situations. But if they attack, it hinders our response time, because we now have to go via a police station for additional protection at an incident. Police vehicles will not always be available.”
Barring frustration and high emotions, mob justice is also an obstacle in helping save lives.
“When EMS tries to help a victim of mob justice, communities will attack, trying to stop us, but we have to try – we do not choose who we help,” he said.
